Papermaking machine



Sept. 1, 1964 w. H. BURGER 'PAPERMAKING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledMay 2. 1960 p 1, 1964 w. H. BURGER 3,146,649

PAPERMAKING MACHINE FiledMay 2, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 i 1 llil Huh.

P 1, 1964 w. H. BURGER 3,146,649

PAPERMAKING MACHINE Filed May 2. 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept. 1, 1964Filed May 2. 1960 W. H. BURGER PAPERMAKING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4Sept. 1, 1964 w. H. BURGER 3,146,649

PAPERMAKING MACHINE Filed May 2, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 60 I a y '5United States Patent 3,146,649 PAPERMAKING MACHINE Wiiiiam H. Burger,Neenah, Wis., assignor to Kimberly- Clark Corporation, Neenah, Wis., acorporation of Delaware Filed May 2, 1966, Ser. No. 25,996 4 Claims.(Cl. 83ti6) My invention relates to the manufacture of cellulosicproducts and more particularly to cutting mechines designed to convertpaper in web form into sheets.

The product of a Fourdrinier machine is generally a continuous web ofpaper, which for convenience of handling and further processing, isfirst Wound into a roll as it passes from the machine. Since much paperis ultimately used in sheet form, it is necessary to provide equipmentwhich will rapidly and accurately produce stacked sheets from webs thusstored in roll form.

Such equipment has previously been proposed and is descibed in aco-pending application of D. C. Beaulieu and R. W. Martinek, Ser. No.843,661, filed October 1, 1959. This equipment includes a rotatable drumpossessing a substantial circumference around which a web is wound. Whena layer of 6 /2 to 7 inches of web has been built up, the drum isstopped, and a guillotine knife is actuated to laterally sever the builtup web to form a slab of paper sheets across the face of the drum, theresulting slab being of such convenient dimensions that it maysubsequently be fed to and trimmed by a conventional paper cutter intostacked sheets of a desired size. This equipment has been found toaccelerate the production of stacked sheets far above previously knownpaper sheeting machines yet produces none of the paper dust which hadformerly been a major drawback of the slower type units. The equipmentproposed in this prior application also includes an endless belt ofsubstantially the same width as the drum, looped about suitable pulleys,so that a segment of the belt at all times embraces a substantialportion of the surface of the drum or the paper wound thereon. Thepurpose of the belt is to firmly hold upon the drum surface the slab ofpaper sheets after it has been severed and as it is being fed to thecutter used for trimming to size. Although the belt is thus effectivefor its intended purpose after slab-severing, it is nevertheless incontact and moves with the web during the entire web build-up operationand requires a substantial expenditure for power. This undue use of thebelt also leads to considerable belt replacement and maintenance costs.Furthermore, with this prior construction, it is rather difficult toremove the drum and replace it with a drum of different size, whendifferent size sheets are required, since the belt must also be removedand readjusted.

The prior equipment also includes a fixed axle drum supported only bytwo side journals, such manner of mounting permitting the tensilestrength of the web to limit the tightness with which the web can bewound onto the drum. This arrangement may thus lead to a slightlyirregular build-up of the web of paper on the drum and to relativedifficulty in the severing of the slab of paper wound on the drum. Oncethe slab has been severed, this equipment also requires that the forwardslab end he guided manually to a conveyor to start the feeding of theslab to the cutter, since the severed slab ends hang freely and the drumand belt in their movement do not tend to guide a slab end onto theconveyor.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide animproved drum type cutting machine or sheeter which provides for rapidand easy sheet size change, requiresless power to operate and has lowermaintenance costs, and affords greater ease and simplicity of operation.It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide animproved sheeter having a winding drum that is so constructed and somounted in the machine that it can be easily removed and replaced by acomparably constructed drum of diffeent diameter for supplying differentsheet sizes. It is a further object of the invention to provide such animproved sheeter which, in order to facilitate such drum replacement,has a belt extending around only a small portion of the periphery of thedrum in position only during the time when the sheets are being severedand removed from the drum.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide such an improvedsheeter in which the drum and the paper web wound on the drum aresupported from beneath the drum by a pair of driven rolls, so as to windthe Web on the drum in a firm condition, thus making for easier slabcutting, and so as to transfer the slab onto a subsequent conveyorwithout requiring that the forward slab end be guided manually onto theconveyor.

My improved sheeter in its preferred form includes a rotatable windingdrum that is mounted for vertical movement and a pair of rolls beneaththe drum adapted to support the drum and the web as it is wound on tothe drum. It also includes an endless belt, which is carried by a rollsystem and which belt remains as guided by the roll system at one sideof the drum out of contact with the drum, while the paper web is beingwound onto the drum. The belt support system is movable and so arrangedand constructed that the belt can be adjustably disposed over one sideof the drum and the web wound on the drum at a time just prior to thesevering and transferring operation.

The invention consists of the novel methods, constructions, arrangementsand devices to be hereinafter described and claimed, for carrying outthe above stated objects, and such other objects, as will be apparentfrom the following description of a preferred form of the invention,illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly schematic, of a paper convertingmachine embodying the principles of the invention and including arotatable drum on which paper is wound prior to cutting and a movablebelt for supporting the paper;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view on an enlarged scale of the portion of themachine including the rotatable drum and illustrating layers of paperwound on the drum;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 and showing the belt removed from thepaper on the drum prior to cutting;

FIG. 4 is a view on a still further enlarged scale of the drum part ofthe machine showing the paper on the drum being cut;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the machine on a reduced scaleillustrating cut paper being removed from the drum;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the machine taken on a plane passingthrough the center of the drum; and

FIG. 7 is a side view of a journal yoke for supporting the drum.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in the several views.

Referring now to the drawings, the paper sheet cutting machine orsheeter may be seen to comprise, in general, a winding drum 19, a drumstand 11, a backstand 12 for a roll of paper, a retractablepaper-cutting mechanism 13, a conveyor 14, and a guillotine-type trimmer15.

The drum comprises an outer shell 16, external headers 17, andanti-friction bearings 18, one of which is concentrically disposed ineach header 17, to rotatably receive a central shaft 19. The shaft 19 isrotatably supported at points a short distance inwardly from its ends ona pair of journal yokes 29, which are fitted with releasable buckles 21.The yokes 26 are supported for vertical motion by push rods 22 fixed todouble acting pistons 23 that fit slidably within hydraulic cylinders24. The cylinders 24 are disposed on and supported by a frame 25 and areconnected to a source of hydraulic fluid 26. A pinion 27 is keyed toeach end of the shaft 19, and the pinions mesh with racks 28, which areset into the frame 25.

The drum 10 is rotatably supported along its face by a pair of winderrolls 29 which are rotatably supported by the frame 25. Each of therolls 29 is driven by a conventional variable speed driving mechanism 30of a type to drive the roll to the left as seen in FIG. 1 at apredetermined slower speed than the other roll 29.

The backstand 12 comprises a reel 31 for carrying a roll of paper 32,the reel being rotatably supported by a pair of stanchions 33. Paper istaken from the roll 32 in a web or continuous sheet 34, and an idlerroll 35 is provided around which the sheet is guided onto the shell 16of the drum 10. Two or more slitters 36 of conventional construction maybe positioned to act upon the paper web 34 as it passes from the roll 32to the drum 10 for edge trimming the web and longitudinally dividing theweb into a plurality of narrower Webs.

An endless belt 37 extends around a roll 38 that is axially fixed withrespect to the frame 25 and also extends around a roll 39 that isadjustable with respect to the frame 25. A movable roll 40 is alsoprovided within the belt 37 and is rotatably supported by arms 41 ofirregularly shaped parts 42, which are pivotally mounted about pins 43set on each side of the frame 25. Push rods 44 are pivotally attached tothe pivotable parts 42, and each push rod carries a double acting piston45. Each piston 45 is slidably disposed within a hydraulic cylinder 46which is pivotally attached to the frame 25. A source of hydraulicpressure 47 together with a four way valve 48 is provided for each ofthe cylinders 46. A shaft 49 is journalled in the frame 25 and extendsfrom one side of the frame to the other, and a crank 56 is rigidlyattached to each end of the shaft 49. A movable link 51 extends betweeneach crank 59 and an arm 52 of the pivotable part 42.

Adjustable roll 39 carries pinion gears 53 on its ends, and the roll 39is journalled in pillow blocks 54 slidably disposed on alignedhorizontal ways included in the frame 25. Connecting rods 55 are rigidlyattached on one end to blocks 54 and on their opposite ends to doubleacting pistons 56 which fit slidably within respective hydrauliccylinders 57. The cylinders 57 are fixed horizontally with respect tothe frame 25 and are provided with a supply of hydraulic pressure 58controlled by four way valves 59. Racks 6% are set in the frame 25 andoperate cooperatively with the pinions 53 to position both ends of theadjustable roll 36 simultaneously.

The cutting mechanism 13 comprises a knife blade 61 fixed in a knifeholder 62 which embraces the blade. A narrow maple cutting block 63adapted to cooperate with the cutting blade 61 is fitted in a channel inthe shell 16 and is oriented laterally across the face of the drum 1%. Apair of hydraulically actuated double action pistons 64 slidablydisposed within cylinders 65 are provided, one of which pistons ismechanically connected near either end of the knife holder 62 for thepurpose of moving the knife 61 and the holder 62 towards the block 63.Parallel conduits 66 link the upper and lower ends of cylinders 65 andare connected by flow dividers 67 of any conventional type that provideequal output pressures in a pair of output conduits or parts. A four waydiaphragm valve 68 with ports permitting flow to and from either flowdivider 67 is interposed between a source of hydraulic pressure 69 andthe flow dividers 67.

The valve 68 is actuated by an armature 70 moving within a coil 71 whichis controlled by a switch 72. A direct current supply 73 is available atthe switch 72.

The conveyor 14 comprises in horizontal alignment a fixed slat 74 and apivotable wedge shaped slat 75 which is rotatable upwardly when theknife 61 is active to cut the paper wound on the drum 16. An endlessbelt 76, which has its upper pass slideably supported by a table 77, isdisposed about a pair of rolls 78 and 79.

The trimmer 15 may comprise a platform 80 and a knife 81 movable towarda cutting block 82 adapted to cooperate with the knife 81 to cut papersheets therebetween. The knife 81 may preferably be a commerciallyavailable guillotine cutter mounted so that the bevel of its blade isdisposed toward the finished work.

A guide 83, adjustable with respect to platform 78, is provided todefine the longitudinal dimension of the sheet to be cut by the knife 81and a movable bar clamp 84 is slidably disposed and coextensive with theknife to prevent motion of the slab during the time the knife is activeto cut.

In operation, the paper web 34 is unwound from the roll of paper 32,passes beneath the idler roll 35, may or may not be acted upon by theslitters 36, and thence presents itself to the nip formed by the drum 10and the nearest of the winder rolls 29. The winder rolls 29, driven bythe variable driving mechanism 30, rotate to pass the paper web 34through the nip and along the periphery of the shell 16, to the next nipbetween the farthest of the winder rolls 29 and the drum 10 and thencearound the drum, using the drum as a core and support for the paper web34. The drum 10 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, as shown inFIGURE 1, as it rests upon the clockwise driven winder rolls 29, and thenearest of the rolls is differentially driven at a slightly slower speedthan the farthest to produce a hard wound roll. The paper is wound onthe drum 1! until a susbtantial thickness of paper exists on the drum,as shown in FIG. 2. The drum 10, for example, may have a circumferenceof about 200 inches with a diameter slightly less than 64 inches,depending upon the size of the sheets desired to be subdivided from theslab produced. It is contemplated that the paper web shall be wound onthe drum 10 until the paper has a thickness, for example, of about 5inches. Use of a larger drum 10 permits a build-up of less depth for agiven weight of slab and a proportionately smaller amount of waste dueto the large variance of length in the innermost and outermost layers.

As the 34 begins to build up on the drum 10, the shaft 19 risesvertically with respect to the winder rolls 29. The shaft 19 rotatesslowly as it rises, the pinions 27 uniformly carrying both ends upwardlyin the path described by the racks 28 which are set in the frame 25. Theyokes 20 are attached to the rods 22 and the assembly follows upwardly,slowly drawing the pistons 23 outwardly from within the cylinders 24.Hydraulic fluid flows out from the upper portion of the cylinders 24,but the resistance to flow is such that sufficient pressure ismaintained to exert a downward pressure on the shaft 19 providing adamping action upon the shaft and insuring that the sheet as it is woundon drum 10 remains in close contact with the winder rolls 29 at alltimes.

After such a thickness of paper, as for example 5 inches, has been builtup on the drum 10, drum rotation is stopped and the valves 48, which arenormally positioned to maintain pressure in the lower portion of thecylinders 46, are actuated to direct the flow from the source ofpressure 47 into the upper portion of the cylinders 46. The pistons 45then descend within the respective cylinders 43 carrying the push rods44 downwardly. The push rods 44 support the irregularly shaped pivotableparts 42 during web wind up in an upward position of the parts 42 whenthe belt 37 does not engage the paper Wound on the drum 10. Thedescending push rods 44 cause these parts 42 to rotate about the pins43, and the arms 41, which carry the movable roll 40, advance toward thepaper built up on the drum until the surface of the paper supports thebelt 37 carried about the rolls 38, 39, and 46. A portion of the belt 37conforms to the outline of the built-up web 34 and limits further rotarymotion of the pivotable parts 42. The mechanism comprising links 51which connect the rotating parts 42 with the cranks 50 on either end ofthe shaft 49 insures that the described lowering operation isaccomplished uniformly across the face of the roll.

The belt 37, when in position to support the built-up web 34 once it hasbeen severed, may be further adjusted to better accommodate various drumsizes and paper build-up depths by positioning the valves 59 to properlysupply hydraulic pressure to either end of cylinders 57, such pressureacting upon the pistons 56 disposed within. The connecting rods 55,carried by the pistons 56, in turn move the pillow blocks 54, whichsupport the adjustable roll 39 on either side of the belt tensioningmechanism, as shown in FIG. 3. The pinion gears 53 carried on the endsof the roll 39 actively engage the racks 60 and cooperate to insure thatboth ends of the adjustable roll 39 are uniformly positioned.Readjustment of the movable roll 46 by the pistons 45 may be needed sothat the belt 37 can be made to firmly embrace the webbuilt up on thediiferent size drum 10 for a substantial portion of the paper slab.

Once the belt 37 has been adjusted properly, the drum, and the belt 37in contact therewith, are rotated slowly to such positions that thecutting block 63 is in position to cooperate with the knife 61 insevering the built up web 34. The retractable paper cutting mechanism 13is then rendered operative by closing the switch 72, so that the currentfrom supply 73 flows through the coil 71 raising the armature 76. Flowfrom the hydraulic pressure source 69 through the lower four way valve68 into the lower flow divider 67 follows. The fluid passes through theflow divider 67 into conduits 66, and a balanced pressure is thussupplied to the lower end of cylinders 65. The pistons 64 move inwardlytogether, carrying the knife holder 62 and the knife blade 61 radiallytoward the cutting block 63 set in the drum 10. The knife 61 in somoving lifts movable wedge-shaped slat 75 and passes beyond it to severthe paper web 34 looped in many layers about the drum it), asillustrated in FIGURE 3, radially to the drum axis and transversely ofthe paper loop. It will be noticed that the pivot of the slat 75 isoffset with respect to the path of travel of the knife 61 and the slat75 lies in this path of travel, so that the slat 75 is pivotally movedby the knife 61 as the knife moves toward the drum 10. In eifect, thereis now positioned about the drum 10 a slab A of many individual sheetsof paper, which slab is held firmly on one end between the winder rolls29 and the drum 10 and by the belt 37 and drum 10 throughout theremainder of its length requiring support. The knife 61 is withdrawnfrom its cutting position by opening the switch 72 thereby stopping theflow of current within coil 71 and allowing armature 70 to dropdownwardly, reversing the four way valve 68 so as to permit the flow ofhydraulic fluid to the upper flow divider 67 toretract the knifeassembly and allow slat 75 to return to place. The slab A is now readyto be transferred to the conveyor 14 and trimmer 15.

The drum 10 is rotated slowly in the counterclockwise direction, asshown in FIG. 5, by driving the winder rolls 29, and the paper sheets inthe form of a slab A are guided through the nips formed by the drum 10and the winder rolls 29. The moving slab A next passes over the fixedslat 74 and the movable slat 75 which has now descended into horizontalalignment and the slats support the slab as it passes over the cuttingmechanism 13. Aided by the moving belt 76, the slab A is then deliveredonto the table 77 so as to flatten out the loop. Alternately, the table'77 may be used without the belt 76; and in this case, the slab A may beslid or transported on rollers (not shown) across the table to thetrimmer 15.

The support belt 37 functions to hold the remainder of the slab A ofpaper sheets until the trailing edge of the slab has passed from thedrum 1%, through the nips formed by the winder rolls 29 and drum 10, andthence to the endless belt 76 which ultimately delivers it to theplatform 60, as shown in FIGURE 5. Any appreciable movement of thesheets within the slab with respect to each other is thus minimized. Thebelt 7 6 may be driven about its rolls 78 and 79 simply by the movementof the slab A on to the table 77, or if desired, the rolls 78 and 79 andbelt 76 may be power driven.

The uneven edge of the slab A extending across the table 77 onto theplatform 80 is cut away by the knife 81 descending toward the block 82while the horizontal clamp 84 is positioned to hold the stack in place.The trimmings are then moved away either to the side or the back, andthe next portion of the slab A is moved until its leading edge isstopped by the guide 83 suitably positioned for the sheet size desired.The web portion 34 is then clamped, the guide 83 moved backward slightlyto permit the stack to move backwardly during cutting, and theguillotine 81 actuated. Further operation in a similar manner producesmultiple stacks of paper of the desired size which may subsequentlyrequire a trimming of the running edges of the stack at an additionalstation to the side or rear (not shown). When using drums of largecircumference, the spacing between the trimmer 15 and the drum 16 may besuch that the guide 80 limits further movement of the slab A while thetrailing edge of the slab is still retained on the drum 16.

When the trailing edge of the slab A has passed out from beneath thebelt 37, the valves 48 are reversed to permit access of fluid underpressure from the source 47 to the lower portion of the cylinders 46.The pistons 45 then act to rotate the pivotable parts 42 back to theiroriginal positions at one side of the drum, so that winding operationscan again be resumed.

After the web material 34 has been wound on to the drum 10 asillustrated in FIG. 3, the incoming web 34 may be severed between theslitters 36 and the driving roll 29 located adjacent to the slitters 36.The knife 61 may then be actuated so as to provide the cut sheets on thedrum 10, and the sheets may be moved off the drum as above described.This cutting of the web 34 between the slitters 36 and the driving roll29 adjacent thereto may simply be by hand, utilizing a knife attached onthe end of a pole, for example.

Another way in which the incoming web 34 may be severed after the drum10 has been wound with web is simply to allow the incoming web 34 toremain uncut prior to actuation of the knife 61. The knife 61 may beactuated after the web material has been wound on the drum It asillustrated in FIG. 3; the cut sheets may then be moved on to the table77 with rotation of the drum 10, and this same motion of the drum willdraw a length of incoming web 34 from its supply roll (not shown), overthe rolls 29 and on to the table 77. The cut sheets may be movedsufficiently far along the table 77 so that the incoming web 34 isexposed above the knife 62, and the incoming web 34 may be cut by againactuating the knife 61.

anaeeee The leading end of the incoming web 34 may be held by handagainst the surface of the drum 10 as the drum is slowly rotated forstarting a new roll of webbing on the drum. Alternately, the leading endof the incoming web 34 may be held fixed with respect to the surface ofthe drum 10 by utilizing pressure sensitive adhesive tape and stickingthe leading end of the web on to the drum with the tape.

The method of cutting piles or slabs of paper sheets as above describedmay be contrasted to prior methods in which rotary cutters are utlizedto cut at the most 6 or 8 sheets at a time, allowing the paper dust toenter between the sheets as they descend upon previously cut sheets inorder to form a pile which must be subsequently trimmed. Embodiments ofsheeters of the type herein described provide slabs or piles of papersheets between which there is substantially no paper dust that caninterfere with the subsequent printing of the sheets, particularly bymeans of the offset printing process. Additionally, sheet cleaningdevices may be used in conjunction with my preferred embodiment toinsure that there is substantially no dust or debris adhering to the web34 as it passes to the drum.

Alternate paper web supplies may also be used including a plurality ofwebs supplied simultaneously to the winding drum 10. These sheets wouldcome from a backstand 11 of a type that supports additional paper rolls32. Drum speeds can be reduced or the time required for winding a giventhickness of paper on the drum prior to cutting can be shortened duringmultiple feed operation.

The winding drum 10 including the shell 16 supported by the headers 17each carrying one of the bearings 18 is designed to be easily removedfrom the shaft 19 when a final slab of different size is desired. Thisoperation is carried out by removing one of the keyed pinions 27 fromone end of the shaft 19 and releasing the buckles 21 permitting theyokes 20 to come apart. The winding drum 10 is then slipped ofi thepinion-less end of the shaft 1& and replaced with a similarlyconstructed drum of suitable diameter.

The easily replaceable drum ill of my invention can be run at highspeeds when building up the paper webbing since the belt does notcontact the drum and thus need not be moved when the drum moves. Thepower required is much less than in operations where the belt also movesand the replacement interval for the belt and its auxilliary equipmentis considerably lengthened.

Transfer of the slab A from its looped position about the drum to thetable is also accomplished in a convenient and suitable manner, since itis not only guided and supported by the belt 37 but also is grippedtightly in the nips between the drum 1t) and the winder rolls 29.

The retractable cutting knife 13 operates to rapidly sever the hardwound webbing 34 in a simplified and efficient manner and produces aslab A with clean-cut edges.

I wish it to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to thespecific constructions, arrangements, and devices hereinabove described,except only insofar as the claims may be so limited, as it will beapparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made withoutdeparting from the principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for forming a pile of sheets from web material, arotatable drum upon which layers of said material may be wound onrotation of the drum, means for drivingly rotating said drum, a knifemovable radially of said drum when the drum is stationary for severingthe layers of said material as so wound on the drum transversely of thematerial to form a slab of sheet material disposed about the drum, anendless belt, means for movably holding said belt in the form of a loopwith a part of said loop embracing said drum and the sheet material uponthe drum for holding the material after severance by said knife as saiddrum is rotated by said driving means for unwinding said slab therefromso as to form a pile of sheets, said belt holding means including aplurality of rotatable rolls, a pair of end arms rotatably carrying oneof said rolls and mounted as levers, a rotatable shaft spaced from thecenters of rotation of said end arms, and means drivingly connectingsaid end arms to the opposite ends of said rotatable shaft so that thearms swing through the same angle simultaneously to provide for uniformretraction of the belt from said drum and the web material wound thereonso that the web material may be wound on the drum without correspondingmovement of the belt.

2. In a machine for forming a pile of sheets from web material, arotatable drum upon which layers of said material may be wound onrotation of the drum, means for drivingly rotating said drum, a knifemovable radially of said drum when the drum is stationary for severingthe layers of said material as so wound on the drum transversely of thematerial to form sheet material disposed about the drum, an endlessbelt, a plurality of rotatable .rolls for movably holding said belt inthe form of a loop with a part of the belt embracing said drum and thesheet material on the drum for holding the material as a slab afterseverance by said knife as said drum is rotated by said driving meansfor unwinding said slab from the drum so as to form a pile of sheets, apair of end arms mounted as levers to support one of said rolls, a rodextending through said machine from side to side, a crank on each end ofsaid rod, and a link connecting each of said cranks with one of said endarms to provide for uniform movement of said arms and uniform retractionof the belt from said drum so that the web material may be wound on thedrum prior to cutting of it by said knife without corresponding movementof the belt.

3. In a machine for forming a pile of sheets from web material, arotatable drum upon which layers of said material may be wound onrotation of the drum, means for drivingly rotating said drum, a knifemovable radially of said drum when the drum is stationary for severingthe layers of said material as so wound on the drum transversely of thematerial to form sheet material disposed about the drum, an endlessbelt, a system of cooperating rolls holding said belt in the form of aloop with a part of said loop embracing said drum and the sheet materialon the drum for holding the material as a slab subsequent to cutting ofthe material by said knife as said drum is rotated by said driving meansfor unwinding said slab therefrom so as to form a pile of sheets, saidsystem of rolls including an adjustable roll and a pair of end armsmounted as levers to support another one of said rolls so that the beltmay be retracted from said drum to allow the winding of sheet materialon the drum prior to cutting of the sheet material, and a motorconnected to each end of said adjustable roll for simultaneously movingboth ends of the adjustable roll so that said belt may be snuglyadjusted about said drum after the belt has been brought into contactwith said drum and the web material wound thereon by moving said endarms.

4. In a machine for forming a pile of sheets from web material, arotatable drum upon which layers of said material may be wound onrotation of the drum, means for drivingly rotating said drum, a knifemounted to move in a certain path radially of said drum for severing thelayers of said material as so wound on the drum transversely of thematerial when the drum is stationary to form sheet material disposedabout the drum, said knife being positioned on the lower side of thedrum, a horizontal table positioned adjacent said knife for receivingcut sheets of web material from said drum as the drum is rotated by saiddriving means subsequent to action by said knife in cutting the webmaterial on the drum, a slat or platform member, and a pivot forpivotally mounting said slat, said pivot being offset With respect tosaid path of knife travel and positioning said slat within said path sothat the slat allows the knife to perform its cut- 5 ting operation byyielding to the inward movement of the knife and subsequently retractingto provide a platform which is positioned above the knife and which supports the cut sheets as they move onto said table with rotation of saiddrum subsequent to the cutting action by 10 said knife.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSRottinger Dec. 26, Staude Feb. 15, Medberry Feb. 8, Pearson NOV. 7,Stiles Feb. 10, Locke May 4,

FOREIGN PATENTS Italy Jan. 12,

1. IN A MACHINE FOR FORMING A PILE OF SHEETS FROM WEB MATERIAL, AROTATABLE DRUM UPON WHICH LAYERS OF SAID MATERIAL MAY BE WOUND ONROTATION OF THE DRUM, MEANS FOR DRIVINGLY ROTATING SAID DRUM, A KNIFEMOVABLE RADIALLY OF SAID DRUM WHEN THE DRUM IS STATIONARY FOR SEVERINGTHE LAYERS OF SAID MATERIAL AS SO WOUND ON THE DRUM TRANSVERSELY OF THEMATERIAL TO FORM A SLAB OF SHEET MATERIAL DISPOSED ABOUT THE DRUM, ANENDLESS BELT, MEANS FOR MOVABLY HOLDING SAID BELT IN THE FORM OF A LOOPWITH A PART OF SAID LOOP EMBRACING SAID DRUM AND THE SHEET MATERIAL UPONTHE DRUM FOR HOLDING THE MATERIAL AFTER SEVERANCE BY SAID KNIFE AS SAIDDRUM IS ROTATED BY SAID DRIVING MEANS FOR UNWINDING SAID SLAB THEREFROMSO AS TO FORM A PILE OF SHEETS, SAID BELT HOLDING MEANS INCLUDING APLURALITY OF ROTATABLE ROLLS, A PAIR OF END ARMS ROTATABLY CARRYING ONEOF SAID ROLLS AND MOUNTED AS LEVERS, A ROTATABLE SHAFT SPACED FROM THECENTERS OF ROTATION OF SAID END ARMS, AND MEANS DRIVINGLY CONNECTINGSAID END ARMS TO THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID ROTATABLE SHAFT SO THAT THEARMS SWING THROUGH THE SAME ANGLE SIMULTANEOUSLY TO PROVIDE FOR UNIFORMRETRACTION OF THE BELT FROM SAID DRUM AND THE WEB MATERIAL WOUND THEREONSO THAT THE WEB MATERIAL MAY BE WOUND ON THE DRUM WITHOUT CORRESPONDINGMOVEMENT OF THE BELT.